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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23234359">Better Now</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Marimimi14/pseuds/Marimimi14'>Marimimi14</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Andrew and Neil Family's Adventures [11]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>All For The Game - Nora Sakavic</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Adopted Children, Aquariums, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Everest is concerned, Juniper is concerned, M/M, Parent-Child Relationship, Past Torture, Past Violence, Professional Exy (All For The Game), Professional Exy Player Andrew Minyard, Professional Exy Player Neil Josten, Protective Andrew Minyard, Scars, Siblings, aaron is only mentionned, past hurt neil josten</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-03-20</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-03-20</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-01 13:02:48</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,511</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23234359</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Marimimi14/pseuds/Marimimi14</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>It's Sunday morning. The Josten-Minyard family is sitting a the dining table with waffles. Juniper takes Uncle Aaron's advice and asks Neil directly about his scars.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Neil Josten/Andrew Minyard</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Andrew and Neil Family's Adventures [11]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1654528</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>206</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Better Now</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>They spent a lazy weekend after the game on Friday. Andrew and Neil kept their words and didn’t talk about Gabby just yet. They also tried to pick up any change with Juniper regarding her conversation about scars with Aaron but for now, she didn’t ask anything.</p>
<p>On Saturday, Neil and Everest went for their usual run. It was getting colder outside since it was almost December. Juniper asked Andrew to help her with some of her homework. After dinner, Andrew made hot cocoa and they played a board game with general knowledge questions.</p>
<p>Neil always crushed the geography and language questions. Andrew was pretty much good in all categories. Juniper liked questions about math (which made Neil smile) and arts. Everest was good with history (he watched a lot of documentary on Netflix) and riddles. Neil and Andrew still had some difficulties believing they could have this. Neil had a fond smile on his lips as he watched Everest and Juniper bicker about the points they made and who had won. Andrew was the one to settle them and declared the end of the game. It was time to go to bed anyway.</p>
<p>The next morning, everyone slept in later than usual. Neil and Andrew were in the kitchen, preparing some waffles when the children entered the kitchen still in their pyjamas.</p>
<p>“Slept well?” Neil asked looking over his shoulder as they sat at the table.</p>
<p>They both grunted an answer that Neil couldn’t really understand. They were both just waking up and they weren’t very coherent. Andrew put a plate of waffles in front of each and Neil brought some fruits he had cut. They both sat at the table with their own plates. Neil sitting in front of Juniper and Andrew sitting in front of Everest. Neil piled up some fruits on his waffles and Andrew drowned his in maple syrup. The reprobate look Neil sent Andrew made Juniper laughed. The kids seemed to wake up as they ate their breakfast.</p>
<p>“I have a question.” Juniper said, breaking the silence.<br/>“What is it Jun?” Neil asked.<br/>“I already asked Uncle Aaron last Friday, but he said I had to ask you directly.” She said with a frown.</p>
<p>Her words made Neil tense. This was it. The moment he would have to explain his past. He caught Andrew’s eyes and the blond already had an eyebrow arched at him. Neil nodded sharply. Andrew put his hand on the back of Neil’s neck and squeezed. Even after more than ten years, the touch was still the most reassuring one for him.</p>
<p>“Yeah. What did you ask him?” Andrew said gently.</p>
<p>Everest had picked up the serious mood the breakfast was now taking. He looked at his parents with curiosity and even a little concerned. He also sent Juniper a look, wondering what his sister was about to ask.</p>
<p>“I was wondering why you had those scars?” She asked her brown eyes staring straight into Neil’s blue ones.</p>
<p>Everest’s breath caught at Juniper’s question. His head snapped back to Neil and he also looked at him with a questioning look. He was curious even if he would never ask about it directly. Neil took a few deep breaths before opening his mouth.</p>
<p>“What did Aaron tell you?” He asked.</p>
<p>He was grateful for Andrew’s hand on his nape. Keeping him in the moment. It wasn’t the time to get lost in horrific memories.</p>
<p>“He said that someone hurt you.” She said. “He also said that you were ok now.”</p>
<p>Neil almost wanted to call Aaron to thank him. Maybe the other Minyard didn’t hate him all that much anymore.</p>
<p>“He’s right. Someone did hurt me. But he’s also right in saying that I’m ok now.” Neil started slowly.</p>
<p>Neil stopped himself for a moment. Pondering what he should tell them and what could wait for a later conversation. Maybe the mafia talk could wait for a moment. Sometimes, even Neil had a headache thinking about all of it. Everything was tangled in a messy spider web of fucked up.</p>
<p>“My parents… they weren’t the best.” Neil started again.</p>
<p>Neil could feel Andrew’s hand on his nape. It was shaking. Probably with anger. If Nathan and Mary weren’t already dead, he was sure Andrew would volunteer to kill them himself. Everest and Juniper looked at him with wide eyes. Everest also had recognition in his.</p>
<p>“They did that to you?” Everest asked, his voice a little shaky.<br/>“My father did. He liked knives.” Neil said.<br/>“But what about your mom?” Juniper asked.<br/>“She tried to keep me away from him. She tried really hard. But he found us and killed her when I was 18.” Neil explained.</p>
<p>His breath was starting to get shorter with each sentence. Andrew knew it was only a matter of time before Neil had a panic attack if he continued talking about it.</p>
<p>“Everything is alright now. His father and mother are dead.” Andrew told the kids.<br/>“Are you sure you’re alright dad?” Juniper asked with concern.</p>
<p>Neil’s heart squeezed a little. His kids were so compassionate. What did he do to deserve them?</p>
<p>“Yeah, I’m sure. No one is after me anymore.” Neil knew that was kind of a lie since the Moriyama still had a say about whether he lived or died, but that would be for another time.<br/>“Even if there was still someone out there, no one will be able to touch him as long as I’m here.” Andrew said with finality.</p>
<p>Everest and Juniper nodded. They both had seen Andrew when he was in a protective mode. They had confidence that he could take anyone that tried to hurt them. Neil glanced at Andrew. He knew Andrew was talking about the Moriyama and how he was promising that even if they came for him Andrew would still be there. Doing everything in his power to keep Neil with them.  </p>
<p>“Ok. If you say you’re alright I believe you.” Juniper said with a tentative smile.</p>
<p>Everest agreed with his sister. He trusted his parents. Neil’s breath calmed down. For now, it was all the kids needed to know and they seemed to understand what had happened. His shoulders lost their tension and Andrew took his hand away from his neck. Instead, he intertwined their fingers under the table.</p>
<p>“What do you want to do today?” Andrew asked, trying to dissipate the tension.<br/>“I was about to ask if we could go to the park, but the weather is crap.” Everest said with a pout.<br/>“Can we go to the aquarium?” Juniper asked.          <br/>“You have to get dressed for that.” Neil said.</p>
<p>Juniper jumped out of her chair and dashed into her room. Everest followed to go into his own room, a little slower than his sister. He was a little disappointed that he couldn’t be outside, but he also liked the aquarium.</p>
<p>“I think our son is an exy junkie just like you.” Andrew said when the kids were gone.<br/>“You say that as if it’s a bad thing.” Neil teased him with a small smile.</p>
<p>Andrew didn’t reply and instead stared at Neil. His eyes searching his features for any sign of the panic attack that never came earlier.</p>
<p>“Hey. I’m ok.” Andrew squinted his eyes at Neil’s words. “For real Drew. It went better than I expected.” Neil assured him.<br/>“Yes or no?” Andrew asked.<br/>“Yes.”</p>
<p>Andrew leaned in and caught Neil’s lips with his own. He let the kiss every trace of the tension he had in his body. Neil tangled his fingers in Andrew’s hair and sighed with content against his lips. They had to separate because Juniper came back in the kitchen.</p>
<p>“Dad, pop it’s not the time for kisses. You have to get dressed. I want to see jellyfishes.” She said as she crossed her arms on her chest with impatience.<br/>“Ok, ok. We’ll get dressed.” Neil said with a laugh. He got up from his chair and offered his hand to Andrew. “Come on, pop. Miss Juniper wants to see the jellyfishes.”<br/>“Who are we to deny this request.” Andrew said as he grabbed Neil’s hand and let the striker pull him to his feet.<br/>“Jellyfishes are boring.” Everest said as he entered the kitchen. “I want to see the sea turtles.”</p>
<p>Juniper turned to him with a pout. They started arguing about which sea creatures were the best and which ones were not worth their time. Of course, they couldn’t agree on any of those points. Andrew and Neil passed past them to go to their room and put some clothes on that weren’t old sweatpants and hoodies. They could still hear the children's petty argument even with their door closed.</p>
<p>"Jellyfishes are majestic!" They heard Juniper in the distance.<br/>"Well, sea turtles are huge!" They heard Everest replied. </p>
<p>Maybe there were still things they had to figure out. Maybe they still have things to tell their kids. But for now, they were ok. And there was a trip to the aquarium waiting for them. </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>My babies are concerned about their dad (with reason). But Neil and Andrew reassured them as best as they could. Thank you for reading!</p></blockquote></div></div>
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